American Airlines’ grounding and inspection of MD-80 aircraft is the latest carrier response to an ongoing Federal Aviation Administration safety audit of maintenance inspection procedures.
In recent weeks, multiple carriers have grounded planes to complete inspections and comply with FAA safety and record-keeping requirements.
The increased focus on maintenance started when Southwest Airlines grounded dozens of planes last month to examine them after acknowledging it missed required inspections of some planes for cracks.
The FAA then directed federal inspectors to reconfirm that commercial carriers have complied with all airworthiness directives. Last week, a congressional hearing focused on lapses in FAA safety oversight of airlines.
American’s problems with MD- 80s relate to an FAA airworthiness directive issued in 2006 that told operators of the planes to inspect for “chafing or signs of arcing of the wire bundle for the auxiliary hydraulic pump.”
The federal agency ordered the inspection to prevent shorted wires or arcing at the pump, “which could result in loss of auxiliary hydraulic power, or a fire in the wheel well of the airplane.”
“They are compliance issues,” said American spokesman Tim Wagner. “They’re not safety-of-flight issues. They’re not related to an incident or an event on a plane.”
